Conservation Elements of and a Biodiversity Management Framework for the Sonoran Desert National Monument
This report summarizes the results of The Nature Conservancy’s characterization of important biodiversity elements and the Sonoran Institute’s analysis of socioeconomic information for the Monument and surrounding environment.
Subject Tags
- Conservation Planning
- Desert
Abstract
The biodiversity management framework for the Sonoran Desert National Monument (SDNM) and adjacent lands, developed by The Nature Conservancy and the Sonoran Institute under the Sonoran Desert Ecosystem Initiative, offers a comprehensive approach to conservation planning by integrating ecological and socioeconomic data. It identifies 26 focal conservation elements—including species like desert bighorn sheep and saguaro cactus—and characterizes their ecological processes and stressors. The framework emphasizes that SDNM biodiversity functions within a broader ecological context, requiring management beyond administrative boundaries and involving multiple stakeholders. It also incorporates social science insights, such as community values and growth projections, to inform conservation strategies and guide long-term stewardship of the Sand Tank Mountains Complex. This dynamic, science-based blueprint supports federal land managers in addressing current and future threats while fostering a shared conservation vision.
Citation
Hall, J.A., S. Weinstein, N. Chambers, C.L. McIntyre, and M.D. List. 2005. Conservation Elements of and a Biodiversity Management Framework for the Sonoran Desert National Monument. The Nature Conservancy and the Sooran Institute. 362 pp.
TNC Authors
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The Nature Conservancy